Can A Wine Fridge Be Used As A Regular Refrigerator?
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Can A Wine Refrigerator Be Used As A Regular Fridge?

David J Sharp
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The question that many people ask themselves is whether or not they can use a wine fridge as a regular refrigerator to store food. This article will discuss whether this is possible, advisable and what challenges we foresee.

Without further ado, let’s delve into the key differences between wine refrigerators and regular household refrigerators.

Can a Wine Fridge Be Used As a Regular Fridge?

The general answer to this question as to whether it’s safe to use a wine cooler as a standard refrigerator, is no.

They’re designed, built, and operate very differently, despite both of them cooling the contents which they contain.

Brands like Newair do say that you can store odd foods like fruits, cheese, chocolate and olive oil, but these are foods which are few and far between.

A wine fridge should plainly be used for wine storage, because it’s more equipped to be able to cool at the ideal temperature range to cool white and red wine. They’re also ideal to store other types of wine in your wine collection, including chardonnay, champaign, and rosé.

Plus, a typical wine bottle (whether it’s red or white wine) will not need as severe cooling as food, meaning that a wine cooler would simply not be able to maintain a low enough temperature to keep your food fresh and safe to consume.

You may be thinking, what about a compressor wine cooler? Even despite these units being more powerful than thermoelectric wine refrigerators, they’re still not able to achieve these low temperatures… And this is regardless of whether it’s a large or small wine fridge, or is a single zone or dual zone unit.

What are the Differences Between a Wine and a Regular Refrigerator?

A wine refrigerator can save a lot of time by cooling down the wine properly, preserving it, and letting it age.

A traditional fridge only keeps food at a set temperature. They are not able to control the humidity or heat fluctuations that occur in a typical kitchen.

This means that wines, being sensitive to both humidity and temperature, will spoil if they are left in these fridges for more than two days.

Can You Put Food in the Wine Cooler?

As a general rule of thumb, no. Wine coolers are better at cooling wines and not food. You can, however, put wine in a refrigerator.

A wine cooler is a device that keeps an optimal temperature for storing wine bottles in order to keep the flavor intact. They work by regulating the temperature of the storage area to maintain a constant climate of 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. It is not possible to store food items in a wine cooler because they are designed for cooling wines and not for storing food items.

What’s the Best Thing to Do with an Unused Wine Refrigerator?

The best thing to do with the unused wine refrigerator is to sell it.

If you can’t find a customer for your old wine fridge, then there are many other things that you can do with it like using it as a bookshelf or storage container.

How to Maintain Your Wine Fridge for Optimum Performance

A wine fridge is an investment that should be properly cared for in order to maintain its performance. This guide will provide you with some tips on how to do this, and what to keep in mind when buying a new wine fridge.

  • Place it on a flat surface so there’s no chance of wine bottles falling out
  • Position it in a cool environment, out of direct sunlight (placing it in a kitchen, dining room or even a wine cellar is optional)
  • Make sure that the wine cooler has enough room to get sufficient airflow, for example freestanding wine coolers have rear-facing ventilation, where built-in units have front-facing.
  • Depending on the type, position it so that it can get an adequate amount of airflow
  • Store bottles horizontally to keep the cork moist
  • Keep the temperature at 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit) or less
  • Clean it regularly to prevent condensation, dirt, or mold from forming
  • How to Maintain Your Wine Fridge for Optimum Performance

In Conclusion

The wine fridge is not a suitable substitute for a conventional refrigerator, because it cannot maintain the temperature of the unit at a safe level. Therefore, it cannot ensure that food safety and hygiene standards are upheld, which could affect your health and your family’s health in the long run.

David J Sharp is a wine equipment expert, having previously worked with some of the best wine cooler manufacturers within the USA. Today he works as a full-time wine cooler and wine cellar consultant for small and large clients alike. You can find out more about LoveCraftWines here.

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